Shirley Goode, the BBC's cost-cutting-cook, is back sharing her hints and tips, together with money-saving recipes. Follow her journal and find out what works and what doesn't.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Quick Catch Up...

Just back from the church 'circle', only seven of us there. We had half an hour of 'clairvoyance' and was very pleased that I had a 'voice' telling me 'ask Margaret about Terence'. When I asked (in my mind) 'why?', the reply was, to find out if she is still thinking about me'.

When we were all asked if we had received any messages (or whatever) I said the above, and there was a Margaret in the group, and - believe it or not - her husband's name was Terence (I didn't know that), and he is still alive, currently on holiday in New Zealand, but probably asleep as the time the message came through. Margaret was about to get in touch with him via Skype (or whatever that is), but hadn't recently. So it did make sense.

The trip to the haunted Winter Gardens tomorrow has been postponed. My neighbour couldn't come on that day anyway, so we planned it for the following week. When I got to the meeting, the man who is a volunteer at the W.G's, and who was to give us a guided tour, said he wouldn't be there tomorrow anyway as the place was booked that week by an organization giving a video show or something about Morecambe. So that all fitted in quite well. Will leave me time to make more marmalade tomorrow morning.

As B is having cold meats and salad for his supper, and quite able to plate that up by himself (I suppose - well he knows where the meat is, and the salads, the rest is up to him), thought I'd grab the spare time to write my blog, then I can have an early night.

It rained today!!!! B said did I need him to turn the car round so I could quickly reach the passenger seat without getting too wet, I said not to bother, and by the time I walked through the back door to the car the rain had stopped.
We drove into the street and the heavens opened and it poured down, but by the time we got to the church it had stopped (I knew it would, I asked it to), and when I left it was beginning to dry up, but still very cloudy, and as the gardens can do with more rain, am quite pleased. Believe it will clear up again by the weekend and still remain fairly warm (late teens and into the 20'sC in the London area).
Next week it will be October. Less than 100 days to Christmas I read somewhere. Am in no hurry.

The recipe today is unusual in that having heard of curried fish but have never eaten any (just doesn't seem to go together), am pleased to find a recipe that serves fish with curried lentils. So if we wish we could leave out the fish and serve ourselves a larger amount of lentils. At least the fish is separate so the flavour doesn't get lost in the spices.

Fish with Curried Lentils: serves 41 lime, cut into quarters3 tblsp sunflower oil1 onion, chopped1 tblsp curry powder (mild to medium)1 tblsp tomato puree7 fl.oz (200ml) water1 x 400g can green or brown lentils, drained2 tblsp mango chutney,4 x 5oz (150g) white fish filletssalt and peppernaan bread or chapatis for servingFinely chop one of the lime quarters, including the skin. Heat 2 tblsp of the oil in a medium frying pan and fry the onion for about 5 mins or until softened. Stir in the curry powder and fry for a further minute, then add the tomato puree and the water, then stir in the lentils, chutney and the chopped lime. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in another frying pan. Season the fish with salt and pepper and then fry for 5 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and cooked through. Add a squeeze of lime to the fish, also to the lentils, then serve together (lentils at the side of the fish) with naan bread or chapatis.
Thanks to buttercup and Les for their comments. My diabetic nurse kept trying to persuade me to take statins (to reduce cholesterol) but I refused as I've heard conflicting reports and preferred not to.

Sorry you've had to keep returning to hospital Les, do hope you are improving. Envy you your wet room, our shower is very tiny and I am large, only just fit in. Wish I could use the bath, but it is huge and very deep, even B won't use it as once in very difficult to get out, even the strong man he is. Me with my mobility problems, no chance. I don't fancy a 'bath-lift'.
In the past I would lie in a really warm bath for a long, long time being very good at hooking the plug chain between toes on one foot, and turning on the hot tap with the other, so letting the colder water out and topping up with hot. Could stay in there for hours only got very wrinkly if in too long. Bubble baths are best for keeping in the heat, the bubbles insulating and preventing the hot water cooling down too quickly. Me having a long bubbly soak, with a book and a glass of wine - those were the days!

Probably be blogging again this time tomorrow, see no reason why not. Hope you can join me then. TTFN.

About Me

A chatty being, especially anything to do with cookery, and self-sufficiency. Loves the challenge of making the most of what we've got, and spending less each time I take up a new challenge. No age limit to enjoying the fun of it all, so always hoping more and more will be interested in the whole cost-cutting game.